'Simsbury Celebrates' To Deliver Holiday Fun To The Community

SIMSBURY, CT — The town's premier celebration of the season will take place on Saturday, Nov. 30, with Simsbury's major downtown hub transformed into a holiday wonderland.

"Simsbury Celebrates" will take place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. along Hopmeadow Street and Iron Horse Boulevard with a wide variety of food, music, fun, and activities for the family ... all with a holiday theme.

The program is organized by the town's culture, recreation, and parks department, and it is sponsored by UConn Health.

From a gingerbread house exhibit at the Simsbury Free Library to Christmas performers to visits with Santa Claus himself, Simsbury Celebrates not only celebrates the holiday season but also celebrates the community itself.

Plus, there will be plenty of food for sale from local establishments and civic groups, enough to fill the stomach and warm the soul.

The celebration ends at 8:15 p.m. with a "fireworks spectacular" planned at the Simsbury Performing Arts Center at 22 Iron Horse Blvd.

"Simsbury Celebrates" came to be in 2002 after the town's massive "Opening Night" holiday celebration ceased operations in 2001.

"Opening Night" was run by the Simsbury Arts Council, but the event had grown so much, the arts organization had insufficient help to keep it as it was.

So, in 2002, the Simsbury Culture, Parks, and Recreation Department took over the event and renamed it "Simsbury Celebrates," with the festivities being a part of the town's holiday calendar ever since.

"The event now has more family-friendly features such as free entertainment, an earlier start to the popular fireworks show, and more street entertainment," wrote the town on the Simsbury Celebrates website.

"Although the Simsbury Recreation Department sponsors the event and assists with the event production, most funds that support the event are raised through generous donations from local businesses, families, and civic groups."

For more information on 'Simsbury Celebrates,' including a schedule of events and an event map, click on this link.